Supplements in the News

Researchers in the North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG) haveshown that patients who receive intravenous calcium and magnesiumbefore and after the chemotherapy drug oxaliplatin for the treatment ofadvanced colon cancer experience a significantly reduced incidence andseverity of neurological side effects (neurotoxicity). This reductionincreases the likelihood that patients are able to complete a fullcourse of treatment. The findings were released as part of the 44thannual meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology.

"There have been limited studies and anecdotal stories about theeffectiveness of calcium plus magnesium in reducing neurotoxicitycaused by oxaliplatin," says Daniel Nikcevich, M.D., Ph.D., anoncologist at St. Mary's Duluth Clinic in Duluth, Minn., a member ofNCCTG and study co-chair.